Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to circuit board connectors and, more specifically, to a PCB zero-insertion-force connector with an actuating element, by the actuation of which the PCB zero-insertion-force connector can be brought from a mounting position, allowing the insertion or removal of a PCB, into a connecting position, properly establishing the contact of the PCB, and/or vice versa.
PCB zero-insertion-force connectors connect two PCBs electrically and mechanically to each other essentially without any force; they are used, inter alia, for the purpose of being able to fit a first PCB in a simple and undamaging manner essentially perpendicularly onto a second PCB (for example a so-called backplane) and thereby connect it electrically and mechanically to the latter in a secure and reliable manner.
PCB zero-insertion-force connectors have long been known in a large number of embodiments; a PCB zero-insertion-force connector of the above type is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,351.
The PCB zero-insertion-force connector known from the prior patent is mounted securely on one of the PCBs to be brought into connection with each other and is designed in such a way that the other of the PCBs to be brought into connection with each other can be inserted into it. It is constructed in such a way that, by the actuation of an actuating element, it can be brought into a mounting position, allowing the insertion or removal of a PCB, and, by the insertion of a PCB, can be brought into the connecting position. The actuating element is a rod which runs parallel alongside a PCB guiding device and with the aid of which the PCB to be brought into connection with the PCB zero-insertion-force connector or already connected to the latter can be guided toward or away from the latter. In order for it to fulfil its purpose, the rod must protrude beyond the PCB inserted into the PCB zero-insertion-force connector, to be more precise beyond the rear edge of the same with respect to the direction of insertion, to such an extent that the rod is always freely accessible and actuable. For this reason, it must be of a considerable length, which makes it susceptible to damage and deformation. In order to reliably rule out damage and deformation to the rod, the same could be designed to be correspondingly stable. However, this would make the assembly disproportionately expensive and unwieldy.